A major new study published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine is offering renewed hope for cancer patients whose disease no longer responds to immunotherapy, and Providence St. Jude is proud to have played a role in it.
The research explored a first‑in‑class antibody called linavonkibart, designed to block TGF‑β1, a powerful protein that tumors use to shut down the immune system. When combined with the immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda), this new approach helped re‑ignite the immune response in several difficult‑to‑treat cancers. Early results showed tumor shrinkage in kidney cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer and bladder cancer, all while maintaining a manageable safety profile.
What makes this discovery especially exciting is what researchers learned about why certain patients respond: individuals whose tumors showed signs of active immune engagement — including higher levels of certain immune cells — were more likely to benefit. This finding opens the door to more personalized treatment strategies in the future.
We are honored to share that Dr. David Park, medical oncologist at Providence St. Jude, served as a co‑author on this publication. His involvement underscores our ongoing commitment to translational research and bringing the most innovative treatment options to the patients we serve.
This milestone serves as another example of how Providence St. Jude continues to be part of advancing cancer care, not just locally, but nationally.
